NICK HOWSON: There is something in the water in Cardiff. The women's team have not won a match since August 2, 2021. Out of the competition already, plans for next season need to start now
Welsh Fire have endured a tough existence in The Hundred. And existence is all it has been. They've been a name in a table, a support act on the fixture list, and are yet to make an indelible mark in either women's or men's competitions.
Defeat to London Spirit by nine wickets means that the women, like their male counterparts, are already out of the competition. They were eighth and seventh respectively last summer, with five wins between them.
No side was hurt by a Covid-affected tournament in 2021 more than the Fire women, who lost Meg Lanning, Beth Mooney, Jess Jonassen and Sune Luus from their overseas roster, while coach Matthew Mott also withdrew. None have since returned.
Not that Tammy Beaumont, Rachael Haynes, Annabel Sutherland, Fran Wilson and Alex Hartley weren't credible additions during the off-season, but it still feels as though they are reeling.
Behind the scenes, Gareth Breese leads the coaching group alongside Aimee Rees, Dan Helesfay and David Hemp, who leads Pakistan.
A closer look reveals that those gaps in the playing group have been inadequately filled. Beaumont has recently lost her England T20 place, Hartley is three years removed from her last international outing, Wilson retired last October and Sutherland, 20, is still finding her way.
Beth Mooney celebrates her second fifty of the competition (Alex Davidson/Getty Images)
Add to that the departure of Hayley Matthews (replaced by Maddy Green) and illness to the out-of-form Haynes and you're suddenly asking improving domestic players to mix it with English and international cricket's best. A gap is inevitable.
Apart from Hartley, who was naturally an entertaining figure on the mic, there is little to get excited about regarding the bowling battery. That left-arm angled in to the right-hander is a good weapon, but she lacks support.
That isn't necessary because Lauren Filer, Claire Nicholas and Sutherland have bowled particularly badly (Nicola Carey has gone at more than two runs a ball from five sets) but there is a lack of variety and pace.
A look at the best bowlers in the women's competition and you'll see leg-spinners and accurate quicks. That is something to look at during the off-season, which effectively starts now. London Spirit chased 120 with 14 balls remaining after they got ahead of the rate required from the outset.
The batting lacks power-hitters. Matthews scored her 109 runs at a strike rate of 143, with the team's only half-century to boot, but she is a lone wolf. Beaumont scores at 115, Sutherland at 114 and Wilson at 117 (none are in the top 40 in 2022). Sarah Bryce (132) is carrying the team at the top of the order and needs to be able to hang around.
Spirit's bowling plans were not revolutionary, hitting a length and keeping the stumps in play. Freya Davies was the chief beneficiary, taking 3 for 25 and at one stage was on a hat-trick. That said, they reached 38 in the powerplay - their best in the Hundred - and had a platform but Davies' return change the momentum of the contest.
Alex Hartley's was once again neat and tidy with the ball (Alex Davidson/Getty Images)
Despondency is a symptom of any sports team low on confidence and once the flow of the match changed, you never fancied Fire were going to drag it back.
It just had to be Mooney to confirm their fate. Under little pressure, she struck a sublime 61, using the slope, batting intelligently and building an innings. She is a top-tier international player, but you hope the Fire order took note.
There were errors - Sutherland delivered a no-ball when Danielle Gibson holed out to mid-on before she put down Amelia Kerr - but it would be wrong to focus on these small areas when larger issues are at play.
Beaumont wasn't retained by Spirit during the off-season and it has been a tough campaign captaining Fire, with two games still to play. Choosing to bat first after winning the toss - having been defeated chasing on three previous occasions - summed up a campaign lacking clarity.
They are now winless in the women's Hundred since August 2, 2021 when they overcame eventual champions Oval Invincibles, a result that looks more peculiar by the week. Mid-table sides Northern Superchargers and Trent Rockets loom before the tournament concludes.
But planning for next season? Led by analyst Chris Hardy, that must start now.
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